By the foregoing process, sixty-five grains of strychnia were obtained from four pounds of Nux Vomica, at a cost of three rupees: a saving at the rate of more than two hundred rupees upon a single ounce. It was much purer than that purchased, as mentioned in the beginning of this paper; and a dose of half a grain, given to rabbits, killed one in a minute and half; and another in five minutes; whilst a small dog, after having taken a grain and half fell in fourteen minutes and half, and died at the end of twenty-five. The delay in the death of the second rabbit, which did not take place until a second dose was in the act of being administered, may perhaps be attributed to the strychnia having been given in crystals instead of in powder; a state in which the difficulty of its solubility in watery secretions would of course be greatly increased. After this, I need scarcely add, that strychnia, like arsenic, morphia, corrosive sublimate, and other strong poisons, should never be given but in solution; it being impossible in any other manner accurately to measure the dose.
Note.—I wish it to be understood, that for the foregoing process I do not lay any claims to originality. I may however mention that beyond a knowledge that Robiquet's process for morphia had been pursued with strychnia, the details of which I have not met with, it is new to me. Should you think the subject worthy of attention, I propose to give you, in a future paper, my views of the rationale of the process, together with the results of more extended trials now going on under my superintendence at the Hon'ble Company's Dispensary.
VI.—Proceedings of the Asiatic Society.
Wednesday Evening, 9th January, 1833.
The Hon'ble Sir Edward Ryan, President, in the chair.
After reading the Proceedings of the last regular meeting and of the special meeting of the 19th December, the Society proceeded to ballot for the officers of the ensuing year, when Sir C. T. Metcalfe, Bart., Sir John Franks, and the Rev. Principal Mill were elected Vice-Presidents.
Mr. James Prinsep was unanimously elected Secretary.
The Rev. Dr. Carey, Mr. J. Calder, Mr. J. Tytler, Rev. Mr. Proctor, Baboo Ram Comul Sen, Mr. J. R. Colvin, Mr. D. Hare, and Dr. J. Pearson, were elected Members of the Committee of Papers.
Mr. Clemishaw and Baboo Radhacant Deb, proposed at the last meeting, were elected Members.
The Hon'ble Sir R. W. Horton, Governor of Ceylon, proposed at the last meeting by Mr. Wilson, seconded by Mr. J. Prinsep, was upon the favourable report of the Committee of Papers, unanimously elected an Honorary Member.
Sir Benjamin Malkin, Recorder of Penang, was proposed by the President, seconded by Mr. Prinsep, as an Honorary Member, and referred to the Committee of Papers.
